Artificial leg.



F. BUCHSTEIN.

ARTIFICIAL LEG.

APPLICATION FILED oct. I9, I9I6.

Patented May15, 1917.

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FERDINAND BUCHSTEIN. OF MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA.

ARTIFICIAL LEG.

Application filed October 19, 1916.

To all whom t may concern Be it known that l, FERDINAND BUCH- sTniN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Minneapolis, in the county of Hennepin and State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Artificial Legs; and l do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in artilicial legs, and, to this end, it consists of the novel devices and combinations of devices hereinafter described and defined in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate the invention, like characters indicate like parts throughout the several views.

Referring to the drawings,

Figure 1 is a view, partly in side elevation and partly in central vertical section with some of the exposed parts shown in full;

Fig. 2 is a transverse section taken on the line of Fig. 1; and

F ig. 3 is a detail view of the upper end portion of the toe lift, on an enlarged Ascale and with some parts shown in section.

The numeral 1 indicates a hollow lower leg section constructed of fiber or other suitable material and the numeral 2 indicates a foot of the usual or any suitable construction and connected by an ankle joint 3 to said lower leg section.

Tightly fitted within the lower leg section 1, at the intermediate portion thereof, is a 'non-metallic bridge block a of wood or other suitable material. Any suitable means may be used in rigidly and permanently securing the bridge block l to the lower leg section 1. Formed vertically through the bridge block 4:, is an inverted conical seat 5 and a relatively elongated passageway 6 located, the former in front of t-he latter. Extending transversely through the passageway 6, is a tapered anchor pin 7, the end portions of which are tightly fitted in correspondingly formed seats 8 in the lower leg section 1 and bridge block 4. This tapered pin 7 is driven tightly into the seats S and the ends thereof finished flush with the outer surfaces of the lower leg section 1. Preferably, the pin .7 is of wood and a small screw 9 holds the same against axial displacement.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 15, 1917.

Serial N o. 126,497.

A toe lift for the foot 2 comprises a conically coiled spring 10 and a cord 11. The cord 11 is secured to the spring 10 by tying a knot 12 in one end of said cord and passing the other end thereof through the spring 10, so that the knot 12 will draw into the small end thereof, as shown in Fig. 3. The spring 1t) is inverted and placed in the seat with the lower end of the cord 11 eXtending through a passageway 13 in the foot 2, forward of the ankle joint 3. It is important to note that only thc large end of the spring has direct contact with the seat 5 and that there is sutlicient clearance around the small end thereof to permit free yielding movement of the spring 10. The cord 11 is secured in the passageway 13 by tying in the extreme lower end thereof a knot 14, while the spring 10 is under tension. To prevent the knot 111- from drawing through the passageway 13, said passageway is contracted at its intermediate portion and the upper end thereof has Haring front and rear walls, which permit the required movement of the foot 2, without unduly bending the cord 11.

A yielding member 15 affords the heel` connection for the foot 2 and has in its upper and lower ends loops or eyes 16 and 17, respectively. The upper end of the heel connection 15 is flexibly connected to the anchor block l by extending the upper end thereof upward into the passageway 6 and inserting the pin 7 therethrough, at the time the same is positioned in the seats 8. The lower end of the heel connection 15 is flexibly and adjustably connected to the foot 2 by a nutequipped hook 1S mounted in a passageway 19 in the foot 2. This passageway 19 has a shoulder 20 with which the nut on the hook 18 engages as a base of resistance. The hook 18 is secured to the heel connection 15 by inserting the same through the loop 17 thereof.

The bridge block et, not only affords means for anchoring the toe lift and heel connection to the lower leg section 1, but absorbs vibrations which would tend to give the leg a hollow sound when struck. The toe lift, in construction, is inexpensive and the parts thereof are easy to assemble and secure in position.

lNhat I claim is 1. In an artilicial leg, the combination with a hollow lower leg section and a foot connected thereto by an ankle joint, of a bridge block in said leg section and lhaving a passageway and an anchor pin extending therethrough, and a heel Connection secured to said pin.

2. ln an artificial leg', the combination with a hollow lower leg section and a foot Connected thereto by an. ankle joint', of a bridge block in said leg section and having a seat, and a toe lift including an inverted conieally coiled spring mounted in said seat.

3. ln an artilicial leg, the combination with a hollow lower leg section and a foot connected thereto by an ankle joint, of a bridge block in said leg section and having a vertical seat and passageway located, the former in front of the latter, a toe lift including an inverted oonioally coiled spring seated in the upper end of said seat and having clearance with the lower end thereof, a pin extended transversely through said passageway and secured to the bridge block, and a heel connection secured to said pin.

n testimony whereof l a'liix'my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

FERDINAND BUCHSTEIN. Witnesses:

EVA E. KNiG, HARRY D. KILGORE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

